Connect with the Connecticut River parks in Hartford and East Hartford while enjoying the paved riverfront trail, with links across Founders and Charter Oak Bridges featuring stunning city views, public art, wildlife and floodplain forest. The trek starts by heading south toward Downtown Hartford from Riverside Park. The Victorian-era Riverside Park is home to the Greater Hartford Jaycees Community Boathouse, Riverfront Recapture's Community Rowing program, and the Riverside Park Wooded Trail north of the boathouse. Riverside Park amenities include a boat launch, picnic tables and charcoal grills, sand volleyball court, cricket pitch, playground, fishing access, sculpture installations, seasonal drinking fountain & port-o-lets (Memorial Day to Labor Day), pet waste station, charcoal grills, and bike racks.
Continuing south, the Riverwalk passes through Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, part of Hartford Riverwalk. Accessible via stairs and an elevator that runs May 1 through October 15, Mortensen Riverfront Plaza is the centerpiece of the Riverfront Recapture park system with a stage at the river's edge and seating for 2,500 people on a grassy terrace.
The path continues south along the Connecticut River past the Colt Dome to Charter Oak Landing, the southern end of the Hartford Riverwalk. Just south of Downtown Hartford, Charter Oak Landing is home to a pair of nesting eagles, and features an excursion boat dock and public boat launch, along with access to the Charter Oak Bridge pedestrian walkway to Great River Park. Charter Oak Landing amenities include boat launch, fishing access, playground, picnic tables, seasonal port-o-lets (Memorial Day to Labor Day), pet waste station, charcoal grills, and bike racks.
From Charter Oak Landing, the path crosses the Connecticut River via the pedestrian walkway on the Charter Oak Bridge. There are stairs and a ramp to access the walkway across the bridge to the East Hartford Riverwalk. The loop trail heads north from here with spectacular city views and public art installations as part of the Lincoln Sculpture Walk. Past the confluence of the Connecticut and Hockanum Rivers, the path travels though the floodplain to East Hartford's Great River Park. Park amenities include performance facilities, public boat cruises, fishing access, public art, seasonal drinking fountain & port-o-lets (Memorial Day to Labor Day), pet waste station, charcoal grills, and bike racks.
The trail continues under Founders Bridge to the Buckley Bridge Overlook at the northern end of the East Hartford Riverwalk. Doubling back to the Founders Bridge to the Founders Bridge Promenade will link East Hartford's Great River Park back to Hartford's Mortensen Riverfront Plaza. The terrace stairs or seasonal elevator will lead back down to the Hartford Riverwalk, and heading north along the riverfront will return the traveler to Riverside Park.
The Riverwalk trail system is subject to seasonal flooding. Visit riverfront.org for updates on trail conditions.
There is no ramp access to the Charter Oak Bridge walkway. Founders Bridge has a seasonal (May 1 through October 15) elevator on the Hartford side.
Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Parks close and gates lock nightly at sunset.
For more information, visit the Riverfront Recapture website or contact:
The routes begin and end in Riverside Park which is also served by CTtransit (Route 38).
Take Exit 33/Jennings Road. Turn east onto Jennings Road toward the Connecticut River, then take the next right onto Leibert Road. Turn left into Riverside Park.
Take Exit 51 and merge onto I-91 North. Take Exit 33/Jennings Road and turn east onto Jennings Road towards the Connecticut River. Take the next right onto Leibert Road. Turn left into Riverside Park.
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